Citing Facts
Everyone knows that Roosevelt was president during World War II, that Hawaii was the 50th state, and that the earth orbits the sun. Or at least, every Duke student does. (Right?) But does everyone know the percentage of women under 35 who vote? The number of sea turtle nests observed on North Carolina beaches in 1987? The voting record of Richard Nixon? When do facts you present in your paper need to be documented with a citation?
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Facts that are considered 'common knowledge' - those that a reasonably well-educated person could be expected to know – do not need to be documented with a citation in your paper.
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Facts or statistics that are more obscure or pertain directly to your argument will need to be documented with a citation.
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